Games_of_Chance
back to Probability Applications -- Psychology -- Games
We humans have always had a latent addiction to gambling. It is said that the Roman soldiers guarding the scene of the crucifiction of Jesus played with dice carved from the knuckle bones of previous victims. The possibillity that a twist of fate might change our material circumstances appeals to us. It is ironic that exploiting this fact provides one of the most stable businesses known.
Dice, coin flipping, shufled decks of cards, and carefully balanced roulette wheels have been commonly used instruments for several hundred years in many cultures. Today, electronics offers the opportunity to add bells and whistles to the casino. Slot machines (one-armed bandits, some call them) will entice you to continue playing with sound effects and flashing lights as well as minor payouts.
The same tools have always been part of the equipment that many professors of statistics use to engage the students' attention and to illustrate the main ideas of Statistics.